Agoraphobia is a type of phobia, which is an anxiety disorder. The textbook definition of a phobia is “a constant, extreme or irrational fear of an animal, object, place or situation.” Phobias focus on a specific object, activity, or situation, and often involve anxiety and panic attacks.
Millions of people live with phobias. Even though they struggle with irrational fears, most people with phobias lead normal lives. Some phobias aren't often found in daily life -- for instance, if people are lutraphobic, they fear otters. Since they probably rarely encounter otters, they can live perfectly happily with this anxiety disorder. Simple phobias involve the fear of particular objects. Common simple phobias include fear of snakes, heights, and mice.
Some anxiety disorders can negatively affect or even destroy lives. Agoraphobia is one of the complex phobias that can hold sufferers hostage because it affects every aspect of their lives. Complex phobias involve several fears that are related, which makes them more complicated to treat.
What Is Agoraphobia?
Agoraphobia is an anxiety disorder or complex phobia that involves the fear of being away from home. People with agoraphobia can't leave their homes, often for years or decades.
Causes of Agoraphobia
Sometime agoraphobia develops in response to a frightening or traumatic event. For instance, Duncan Gibb was a 49-year-old man who hadn’t left his house since he was 18 years old. The cause of his agoraphobia may have been an assault in his teens, when he was kicked in the head. “He was never the same,” his mother said. “He said he would never go out again, and he kept his word for 30 years.” (Duncan Gibb’s life ended mysteriously and tragically when he did finally go out in January, 2008. Gibb disappeared after leaving his home for the first time in 30 years, and was later found dead.)
Other possible causes of agoraphobia include the fear of having a panic attack in a public place, heredity, or a combination of genetics and learned behavior. Chemical imbalances or medical conditions may also contribute to the development of agoraphobia.
Treatments for This Anxiety Disorder
Behavior therapy, classical conditioning, behavior modification, and cognitive therapies can all be effective treatments for agoraphobia – but treatment can depend on the cause of agoraphobia. Successfully treating any anxiety disorder should also take into account personality traits and lifestyle.
The most widely used method of behavior therapy is systematic desensitization. In this treatment, people with agoraphobia gradually face their fears until they become more and more comfortable. For instance, an agoraphobia treatment may involve having the person stand in her doorway for a few minutes. Later (whether it's months or hours depends on the person), she can go onto the porch or even down the walkway. The amount of time it takes to treat agoraphobia depends on the person.
To learn more about anxiety disorders, read Phobias in Psychology - Types and Causes of Panic Attacks.
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Laurie Pawlik-Kienlen - Laurie Pawlik-Kienlen is a full-time writer and blogger in Vancouver, BC, and the creator of the Quips and Tips blog series.
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